Fallen Angels
by Danish Ranger
Summary: Still smarting after her messy break-up with a rival Smasher, Samus finds solace in the arms of mysterious newcomer Ike. Meanwhile, a soon-to-be-married Zelda seeks one last indulgence, orchestrating a scheme in which Marth and Pit become unwitting pawns.
1. Part I

These disclaimers are beginning to get a little tiresome, no? I mean, if I worked for Nintendo, would I really be posting on _this _website?

* * *

Fallen Angels

Part I

The morning sun assaulted Samus Aran's eyes as she guided her Gunship through the inter-dimensional portal Master Hand had opened for the Smashers' convenience. Donning her helmet, the bounty hunter steered her vessel towards the landing strip where other aircraft were already docked. Crazy Hand, having been put in charge of air traffic control, directed Samus to a section of the airfield where a group of Toads stood ready to unload her luggage. Deploying the landing gear, the Gunship touched down.

Removing her helmet, Samus leant back in her seat, breathing a sigh of relief as she saw the Falcon Flyer parked the other side of the airfield; she'd rather avoid crossing the good Captain's path for the time being. Putting away her armour, the bounty hunter descended the Gunship's cargo ramp where an ape garbed in a tuxedo, wraparound shades and a red bandana awaited her. Evidently, Master Hand had had a hard time finding extra help for this tournament.

"Welcome to Smash Mansion, Miss Aran," said Funky Kong. "Anything you want left onboard?"

As Samus shook her head, the waiting team of Toad porters rushed past her pushing baggage trolleys. In no time at all, the very same team were lined up at the bottom of the cargo ramp, their trolleys loaded.

"This way please," said Funky, gesturing towards a golf cart parked the far side of the tarmac. Taken aback by the speed the Toad porters had worked at, Samus simply nodded, following the tuxedoed primate across the airfield. En route, she glanced round at the other docked vessels: Princess Peach's airplane Toad Express, Bowser's airship, and... a vessel unlike anything she'd seen before.

A wooden galleon, with broad angelic wings protruding from its hull; it was truly a unique sight, even by Super Smash standards. Silhouetted against the morning sun, Samus was prevented from seeing anything in great detail, but from what she could tell, the crew seemed not to be bothering with the complex network of rigging. Instead, they simply flew from task to task. It was then that the bounty hunter noticed a figure balancing on the galleon's bowsprit, his hair and cloak caught in the soft breeze. Was it Prince Marth, perhaps? No, she decided. The figure's hair was too unkempt, his cloak too tattered. It had to be a new Smasher.

Further speculation was disrupted by the deafening roar of the Star Fox mothership's fusion engines as it emerged from the inter-dimensional portal. Taking a moment to gaze up at the impressive starship as it manoeuvred overhead, Samus was forced to jog to catch up with her luggage and guide. Shown into the passenger's seat of the waiting golf cart by Funky Kong, the bounty hunter was driven away to the Smash Mansion by her chauffeur, the orangutan Lanky Kong, as the ape and his team of Toad porters dashed off to greet the newly-arrived Star Fox.

_SCENE_

Closing his eyes, Ike breathed a sigh of relief as the calm breeze blew across his face: it was a welcome change from the cyclonic winds that had confined him to his cabin for the last two days. Not that his time aboard the S.S. Seraphim hadn't been an experience to remember. The boat, or 'galleon' as its young captain Pit had endlessly reminded him, was the flagship of Palutena, the Queen of Skyworld's Royal Navy, and a fine vessel to be sure; too bad about his fellow passengers, really.

Ike had been the fifth Smasher to board the Seraphim, after it had already made stops in Hyrule and Altea. The first passengers had been Zelda, the crown princess of Hyrule, and her champion Link. As a mercenary who'd grown up on the battlefield, fighting in conflicts waged between competing nobles, Ike had little time for those of royal or aristocratic lineage. In his eyes, Queen Elincia of his adopted nation of Crimea was the only monarch worthy of his respect, which meant where Zelda and her lapdog were regarded with disdain, Prince Marth was held in utter contempt.

The only passenger he hadn't seen fit to pass judgement on was Ganondorf, King of the Gerudo Tribe. He showed symptoms of the decadence that tainted most royals, with his harem of scantily-clad servant girls, but Ike had waived judgment when young Pit had regaled him with the Gerudo's life story. Sure, Ganondorf was a king, but it didn't sound as if he had much of a kingdom to reign over. In such circumstances, Ike could only admire the dogged determination with which the sorcerer had tried time and time again to conquer Hyrule, always in the name of improving his people's lives.

"Sir Ike, we're ready to disembark," said the voice of Pit. So absorbed was Ike in his reverie, the sudden interruption came very close to toppling him off the bowsprit upon which he was balanced.

"Please, just Ike," said the mercenary as she stepped back on deck, ruffling the boy's mop of brown hair. The youngster smiled as his locks were assaulted. He'd been a regular visitor to Ike's cabin during the week-long voyage, partly because he'd given his own cabin to Ganondorf to accommodate  
the Gerudo's entourage.

Leaving Pit to tend to his crew, who he'd be forbidden from communicating with for the duration of the Super Smash, Ike proceeded down the Seraphim's gangplank onto the tarmac, where he retrieved his sword Ragnell off a Toad porter's trolley. To his relief, Marth and company had already been led away to their golf carts. Now he had access to his weapon, if he'd wound up sitting next to the Altean prince, he wasn't sure he would've been able to restrain himself.

With nothing but a lawn of lush green grass between the airfield and Mansion, Ike opted to walk. It would be a welcome opportunity to stretch his legs. Slinging the golden longsword over his shoulder, the mercenary had only gone a short distance before stopping in his tracks: "Hey Ike, wait up!"

Ike turned around to see Pit flying after him. A smile broke out on the swordsman's weather-beaten features at the sight of the youngster, his flowing toga barely clinging to his body. Despite his reputation as something of a lone wolf, he'd been most glad of the boy's company during the voyage.

_SCENE_

For the final leg of her journey to the Smash Mansion, Princess Zelda found herself seated as Samus had been next to the orangutan Lanky Kong. Given her inexperience with things technological and her chauffeur's rather tenuous grip on his own sanity, the ride in the golf cart proved to be some of the most rattling of Zelda's life. It was matched only by the moment she'd learnt of Ganondorf's escape from his own execution. All too happy to have her fiancée Link help her out of the wheeled death trap, she muttered a polite thanks to the unhinged primate before going inside.

In the Smash Mansion lobby, the Smashers and their porters were greeted by another Kong, this time Candy, stood behind a reception desk. She gave a quick summary of the night's itinerary, the highlight of which was the opening banquet, and then summoned the guides who would show the Smashers to their rooms, or suites as Candy seemed to insist on calling them. Allowing Marth to kiss her hand in farewell, Zelda and Link exchanged pecks upon the cheek before the princess was led off by the adorable Tiny Kong, garbed in a maid's uniform.

Leading the Hylian monarch through a winding network of passageways and stairwells she'd somehow memorized, the diminutive Kong handed Zelda a copy of the itinerary before curtsying and scampering off. Still a little bemused, the princess held the door open as the Toad porters shifted her vast amounts of luggage into the room. After Peach's fungal attendants had vacated, she finally set foot in what would be her living quarters for the few weeks. Candy Kong hadn't been joking when she'd called it a suite: the place was huge.

Far bigger than her bedchamber in Hyrule Castle. That said, it was perfect considering this would be the last time the princess had a room, or indeed a bed, to herself. Zelda was fast approaching her 21st birthday, the day she could be officially crowned Queen of Hyrule, and her courtiers had decided to take the opportunity to schedule the long-awaited wedding between her and Link for the coronation day. She had no aversions to the notion, and understood full-well what the news had meant to everyday Hylians, but in all her years, she'd only ever known the company of one man, and the princess yearned for another, if only for a night.

Hence, she'd arranged to meet Prince Marth in the Smash Mansion's plaza in little under an hour, to discuss something she hadn't felt comfortable conversing about on the Seraphim. After all, it was mighty hard to talk ill of Palutena when the crew, upon whom the Smashers' lives depended, worshiped the woman as a goddess. Zelda hoped that the absence of Marth's consort Roy, who Master Hand had neglected to invite on this occasion, coupled with the information she'd acquired regarding the redhead, would quench her thirst for a man as refined as she.

Whilst Link's heart was pure, his coarse hands would forever be those of a rustic farmboy's.


	2. Part II: The Proposition

These disclaimers are beginning to get a little tiresome, no? I mean, if I worked for Nintendo, would I really be posting on _this _website?

* * *

Fallen Angels  
Part II

The palatial Smash Mansion was but one aspect of the resort Master Hand had created for this, the third Super Smash tournament. Opposite the Mansion, across a plaza paved with white flagstones, stood the Smash Arena, a large round structure topped with a silver dome, where the first round of the tournament would commence in a couple days time. Until then, the Smashers had access to the Dojo, a sprawling complex of training facilities, also accessed via the plaza. The paved plaza itself was practically featureless, save for a white marble fountain at its centre, toting a statue of Fox McCloud and Falco Lombardi, the co-victors of the second Super Smash, standing back to back, water spurting from their raised blasters. The victory had originally been Fox's, after Falco shied away from fighting his flight commander, but Master Hand had rejected the forfeit; maybe that was why Wolf O'Donnell had been invited to this tournament, to avoid another case of Star Fox domination.

Standing at the fountain's edge, Prince Marth of Altea curled his lip in disdain as he looked over the statue. Surely a Smasher who won by default didn't deserve to have their "triumph" commemorated in such a grand manner – better to just retain the statue of Captain Falcon, winner of the first tournament, despite his poor showing at the second. Sighing, Marth's gaze was lured skyward as yet another Smasher's aircraft, this time the Meta Knight's Halberd, roared overhead. His eyes returning to earth, Marth swept a rogue strand of hair out of his face as glanced round the plaza in search of his expected visitor, but there was still no sign of Zelda. Earlier whilst they were disembarking their transport, the winged galleon _Seraphim_, the princess had whispered in his ear to meet her out here, as there was apparently something he'd be interested to know. Normally, he wasn't one to indulge in gossip, but as he lacked anything better to do besides unpack his luggage or train – itself somewhat pointless in the absence of his usual sparring partner, Roy - Marth had decided to indulge his curiosity.

He'd become acquainted with the Hylian at the previous tournament, but it wasn't until their week-long voyage that he'd realized just how much they had in common. Both were heirs to the throne of their respective dynasties, both had had to defend their kingdoms from multiple invasions, but where Marth had vanquished his nemesis, the dragon Medeus, Zelda's had been was languishing below deck with his harem of Gerudo bodyguards. His train of thought was suddenly derailed as an explosion of white light forced the prince o shield his eyes as Princess Zelda appeared beside him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," said the Hylian.

"Woman's prerogative," said Marth, prompting a smirk, "Couldn't bring yourself to walk?"

"I decided I'd rather not become the subject of servants' gossip," replied the princess, perching on the fountain's marble handrail.

"Is this information of yours that sensitive?" asked the prince, perching next to her.

"Not overly, but you know as well as I what's likely to go through someone's head when they see a private conversation between two royals when they're betrothed to different people."

"So you know about Sheeda?" queried Marth, referring to his fiancée, the princess of an allied kingdom who he'd become engaged to after defeating Medeus a second time. She was yet to move into his palace, however.

"For a wedding planner, Peach is incredibly well-informed," said the Hylian with a smirk. Princess Peach had been a frequent guest at Hyrule Castle in recent weeks, helping the aged courtiers with plans for the royal wedding.

"How is life with Link?"

"Liveable, when he's around," replied Zelda. Funny he should mention it, really, "Anyway, tell me, have you been wondering why Roy wasn't invited to this tournament?"

She suppressed the urge to smile to herself at the look that broke out on Marth's face. In truth, the Altean had thought of little else since Crazy Hand had delivered his invitation to this, the third Super Smash. Although the throne of Altea had been empty since the death of Marth's father, the late Cornelius, in the first war with Medeus, the prince was yet to be crowned. Royal custom dictated that before he ascended to the kingship, Marth first had to prove their worthiness to rule, by tutoring someone younger than he in the noble arts of chivalry and swordplay. These youngsters were usually chosen from one of Altea's aristocratic families, but Marth had been far more strategic in his choice of pupil. Having not ruled out the possibility of another war with Medeus, he was of the belief that better diplomatic ties with other continents would make any future invasion far easier to repel. By that logic, the prince had chosen Roy, the future Marquis of Pherae, whom he'd first met at the last Super Smash.

"Roy was crushed, not being invited back," said Marth, his tone deadly serious. He'd committed months to improving the redhead's skill and confidence with a sword, but had also forged a very special bond with the young noble, far exceeding anything he felt for Sheeda.

"Rest assured I know who you can blame for young Roy's upset, and perhaps some small measure of revenge, if you're interested," said Zelda.

"Go on."

"The blame lies with the sky goddess, Palutena."

"The owner of the _Seraphim_?" asked Marth, referring to the winged galleon that'd transported himself, the Princess and select other Smashers here.

"Indeed, and as luck would have it, that boat has a lot to do with your woes," explained the Hylian, "It turns out Master Hand can't actually enter dimensions himself, without endangering their very existence."

"So he needed the ship as transport?"

"Yes. Even my magic's not strong enough to cross dimensional barriers. Unfortunately, the price for use of the _Seraphim _was Roy's place in the tournament."

"Why?"

"As far as I'm aware, Palutena ruled Skyworld alone since the beginning of time, and she was quite content with the arrangement until her sister Medusa usurped her throne, when an angel called Pit restored-"

"What, the boy from the _Seraphim_?" interrupted Marth.

"Indeed. Pit restored her to power, and she's been bent on making him her king ever since. Demanding that he be given a place in the tournament is just another gift to make sure he accepts her offer once he reaches adulthood. That's why Roy lost out."

The prince's cobalt eyes narrowed upon hearing Zelda's revelation, and he promptly looked away. So, Roy had been denied the opportunity to partake in what might be the last Super Smash before his ailing father dies, simply so an immortal goddess could dote upon her favoured subject with what was no doubt just one of many gifts; that bitch.

"And how are mortals such as we supposed to get back at someone like Palutena?" asked Marth, rightfully miffed by Zelda's suggestion of vengeance.

"This is the first time young Pit's been away from Skyworld, and no angels were allowed to accompany him inside the Mansion."

"What is it you're suggesting, Princess?"

"That you do whatever you did to make Roy so enamoured with you on Pit, then 'spoil' him," said Zelda, her tone suddenly hushed, "It will be years before it comes to light, but the damage will have been done."

"A pursuit worth considering," said Marth, having paused to ponder the thought, "The only question now is, what do _you_ seek to gain from this murky affair?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well, far be it from me to question your kind heart, Princess, but I'm well-versed enough in Hylian history to know that this scheme of yours is completely out of character. You thrive on preserving innocence, not facilitating its destruction."

"I do as I must, for Hyrule's sake," said Zelda, "But I shall spare you much trouble and concede there is something I want in exchange for this...favour."

"Name your price," said Marth.

"A night alone," said the Hylian, "With you."

The prince raised an eyebrow, taken aback by her forwardness: "Is Link not present here?"

Zelda sighed: "You know as well as I that we royals must sacrifice our freedom so that our people may enjoy theirs in our stead. Link will be my companion for life; he shall share my bed, father my children, support me in peacetime, and protect in my wartime. I accept that as the path fate has chosen for me, but I would like just once to experience another man's company before I embark down that path."

Taking her impassioned speech as his cue to give his answer, Marth opted to stall, getting up from the fountain's edge and stretching his legs, all the while considering his options. She'd been under no obligation to share with him the information about Roy, so the law of chivalry dictated he adhere to lady's request. However, a question mark lingered over whether she and Link were waiting for their wedding night to consummate their relationship. That said, her burning curiosity implied he wasn't in danger of being her first, which would go against even his rather flexible morals: "So, when do you want to spend this night?"

"After you show me proof you've seduced the boy," said Zelda, as she turned back towards the Mansion. As eager as she was, she wasn't about to go simply laying herself at his feet. Marth would have to deserve her.

_SCENE_

Having opted to walk to the Smash Mansion from the airfield in the company of Pit, Ike was greeted by some grumpy faces amongst the Toad porters who'd been charged with transporting his luggage. Thankfully, the Kong attendants were more welcoming, the mercenary was shown to his suite by a sprightly, blonde-haired chimp by the name of Dixie. Stepping inside, the mercenary curled his lip as he surveyed what would be his lodgings for the coming weeks; beige plush carpets, a king-sized four-poster bed, white marble walls and mahogany furniture. It all reeked of a grandeur Ike found abhorrent - frankly, he was perfectly content sleeping wrapped in his tattered cloak with nothing more than a sturdy oak at his back, like back during the wars that had ravaged his home continent of Tellius.

With the arrival of peace, he'd learnt to tolerate such cushy trappings, in line with his new post of Captain of the newly-crowned Queen Elincia's royal guard. This decision had effectively disbanded the Greil Mercenaries, and a source of almost constant regret for Ike in recent months, but that had little to do with the palace décor. Sighing, Ike propped his sword Ragnell against the wall beside the door and proceeded to explore the suite. Skirting around the neat pile the Toad porters had assembled with his luggage, he entered his bedchamber to discover a black tuxedo, complete with bowtie and silk cummerbund, laid out on the bed. Miffed, the mercenary reached down to inspect the note resting atop the mysterious garment:

_Dear Guest,  
We kindly request you attend tonight's opening banquet in the tailored garments provided.  
Kind regards  
-The Super Smash Federation_

Crumpling the note in his fist, Ike tossed it over his shoulder as he peered down at the tuxedo. Admittedly, none of his meagre collection of tunics could really be considered suitable garb for a formal occasion. When on duty at state functions, he always relied on his personal bond with his Queen to excuse his choice of wardrobe. Alas, this just underlined that this and likely many more inhibitions would have to be set aside if he was to truly blend in with his fellow Smashers whilst he awaited the opportune moment to exact his revenge. Before this tournament was at an end, Prince Marth of Altea would die by Ike's sword.


End file.
